OCONEE HAS WORK TO DO ON DRUG-TESTING POLICY

The first clue for the Oconee County Board of Education that it might
not want to establish a drug-testing policy for some high school
students is the fact that it takes three single-spaced typewritten
pages to delineate that policy.

The Oconee school board is scheduled to vote Monday on a random
drug-testing policy for participants in the school's athletic programs
and for students who drive to school. Such a policy isn't necessarily
a bad idea; cogent arguments can be made that deterring
student-athletes and young drivers from drug use will protect those
students from harming themselves and others.

The policy does, however, raise a basic question of fairness. If, as
stated in the proposed policy, a goal of the initiative is to
"encourage students to remain substance-free and establish appropriate
habits at an early age," why are Oconee school officials limiting the
random testing to just two categories of students?

Isn't it possible, for instance, that Oconee County and North Oconee
high school marching band members, whose practice sessions involve
physical activity, pose a danger to themselves and others if they are
under the influence of drugs? And wouldn't the two schools have an
interest in, say, deterring their science club members from using
school laboratory facilities while under the influence of drugs?

If a stated goal of the policy is to encourage "substance-free"
lifestyles, why wouldn't both schools be intent on subjecting every
student to random drug tests?

Beyond those general questions, there are several specific sections of
the policy that should be a cause for concern for Oconee school board
members. For example:

- - The policy calls for the toxicology lab performing the tests
to do a monthly random drawing from a combined pool of
student-athletes and students with campus parking permits. Thus, it's
possible - maybe not probable, but possible - that one or the other of
the student groups delineated for testing might not be subjected to
any random drug testing.

If the policy is going to target two specific groups of students, both
groups should be regularly tested.

- - With regard to the random drawing, the policy notes that
"(u)pon selection (for testing), a school administrator will review
the student's class schedule to determine the least disruptive time to
remove the student from class for testing." Clearly, this provision of
the policy creates the possibility for some mischief, if the
responsible administrator is so inclined. For instance, if it happens
that a star athlete is selected for testing immediately prior to an
important game, it's possible that "the least disruptive time to
remove the student from class for testing" might be after the game.

If drug testing is important to the school system, it ought to be of
sufficient importance to not worry about disrupting a student's day.

- - The policy, quite properly, gives students and parents an
opportunity to challenge its application. Specifically, the policy
reads that if "a student believes this policy has not been applied to
him/her in a manner consistent with the intent, the parents/guardians
may petition the principal of their school regarding the outcome
within 72 hours of a positive test result. The principal's decision in
this matter shall be final."

In other words, any parents who can sufficiently intimidate a
principal - perhaps by threatening to hire an attorney to embroil the
principal and the school district in legal action - could, in effect,
get the policy overturned as far as their child is concerned.

If the Oconee County Board of Education is intent on instituting a
drug-testing policy, it clearly has some more work to do to craft a
policy that is fair to all students, can't be circumvented by
administrators, and can't be rendered moot by overbearing parents.